Plural socket terminal assembly



1967 G. E. MOHR ETAL PLURAL SOCKET TERMINAL ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 12, 1965BEDS HMWIIJI 1n E I u 2% E L L Q n m 1 i i n V] ILI.

Raw

I NVENTORS.

m w Rm R Wm m T MW in m E ma OM QM United States Patent M 3,305,626PLURAL SOCKET TERMINAL ASSEMBLY George E. Mohr, Larchmont, and JamesIantorno, Mamaroneclr, N .Y., assignors to Sealectro Corporation,Mamaroneck, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 12, 1965, Ser.No. 507,271 3 Claims. (Cl. 174-153) This invention relates in general toelectrical terminal assemblies for mounting in a hole in a housingpanel, baseboard panel and the like and into which there are placedconnections to the ends of one or more lead wires that may be insertedinto the assembly conductively secured therein. More particularly, theinvention relates to a plural socket terminal assembly and a method ofinstalling the same.

This invention represents an improvement to the electrical terminalassembly described in Patent No. 3,193,617, wherein there is shown ametal conductor element having a cross-sectional configuration that maybe likened to a cloverleaf and which is held in an insulator or bushing.As such a terminal assembly is securely mounted in a hole in abaseboard, a housing and the like, it is important to fix quickly andeconomically, but nevertheless securely, the electric terminal assemblyin the hole in the baseboard or housing.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an electric terminal pluralsocket assembly for mounting in a hole in a housing panel, baseboardpanel and the like for making soldered connections to the ends of one ormore lead wires that are inserted into the assembly. The assemblyincludes an outer insulating bushing for mounting in the hole and has aflange on one end from which there inwardly extends a cylindrical innerwall to a bottom section thereof. This wall defines an axial opening inthe insulator and the bottom section of the insulator has a polygonalopening therein of a major dimension that is less than the diameter ofthe cylindrical opening. The insulator bushing has a length so that thebottom section is positioned on one side of the panel into which it maybe inserted, opposite from that of the flange. Within the axial andpolygonal openings of the bushing there is positioned longitudinally atubular electrical conducting element that is formed to give the bore ofthe tubular element a cloverleaf configuration as viewed in an axialdirection with as many lobes as there are sides of the polygonal openingin the bushing. The tubular electrical conducting element has one endflared to distend the end of the insulator bushing opposite that of theflange at the polygonal opening to provide an outside diameter of theinsulator bushing which is greater than the hole in the panel so as tofirmly retain the assembly in position.

The invention further contemplates a method of installing the insulatorbushing in which the Cloverleaf electrically conducting element isflared after both the insulating bushing and the electrical element areplaced in position in the housing panel, baseboard panel and the like.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification, but for a better understanding of theinvention, its operating advantages and specific objects obtained by itsuse, refcrznce should be had to the detailed explanations of thepreferred embodiment of the invention along with the illustrations inthe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the insulator bushing of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is another perspective of the insulator bush- 3,305,626Patented Feb. 21, 1967 ing shown in FIGURE 1 with a portion cut away toreveal the construction of the bottom portion thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective of an electrically conductive tubular elementused in the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the insulator bushing of FIGURE 1 installedin a hole in a housing;

FIGURE 5 is a side view similar to that of FIGURE 4 with the conductorelement of FIGURE 3 assembled in the insulator bushing; and

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the electrical terminal plural socketassembly of .the invention as finally secured in position.

The invention can best be described with reference to the drawings by anarration of the method steps that should be performed to finallyproduce the product.

An electrical terminal plural socket assembly 10 (FIG- URE 6) is mountedin a hole 12 in a housing panel 14, baseboard panel and the like, withthe assembly comprising an outer insulating bushing 16 having a flange18 on one end from which there inwardly extends a cylindrical wall 20 toa bottom section 22 wherein there is an opening 24. Within the wall andopening 24 there is a tubular electrically conducting element 26disposed longitudinally of the insulator bushing.

Preferably, the insulator bushing 16 is of an elastic material such aspolytetrafluoroethylene, hereinafter called PTFE, and may be generallydescribed as a flanged closed bottom hat-shaped insulator bushing asshown in FIGURE 1, which has cut therefrom a polygonal opening 24 in thebottom portion. The polygonal opening has its corners, as at 24A,rounded and the major dimension of the opening 24 is less than thediameter of the inner cylindrical wall 20 of the bushing. The bottomsection 22 with its opening 24 is longitudinally placed at the oppositeend from the flange 18 of the bushing with the length of the cylindricalportion of the bushing being such that when the bushing is in positionin the hole 12 of the housing 14, the increased cross-section of thebottom section 22 and the major portion of the opening 24 are disposedon the opposite side of the housing from that of the flanged portion 18of the bushing.

In accordance with the aforementioned Patent No. 3,193,617, there isseparately fabricated a generally tubular electrically conductingelement 26 which is longitudinally elongated and formed to give a borewhich has a cloverleaf configuration as viewed in an axial directionwith as many lobes 26A, 26B, 26C, as there are sides of the polygonalopening 24 in the insulating bushing 16. The element may have on one enda flanged portion 26D and on the opposite end may be tapered inwardlyslightly, as shown in FIGURE 3, to facilitate entry of the element intothe bushing. Further, if desired, the element may be formed so thatthere is an opening in the center portion of the element having agenerally circular configuration in which there may be placed throughterminal pins or the like. There is, of course, implicit in thearrangement, that the number of lobes in the electrically conductingelement 26 may be as many as desired with it being also understood thatthe polygonal opening 24 in the bushing would be cut with as many sidesas the selected number of lobes. The important feature of the assemblageis that the position of the bottom section 22 of the insulator bushingand the dimensions of the opening 24 yields a greater thickness of thebottom section 22 than the major portion of the wall of the bushing thatis retained within the opening 12 in the housing 14. Further, the lengthof the electrically conducting element 26 should be such that it extendsslightly beyond the bottom end of the bushing as shown in FIGURE 5.

The next step in the assembly process is to insert the insulator bushing16 into the hole 12 of the panel 14.

This may be, if desired, an interference fit wherein the elasticmaterial, such as PTFE, of the outside of the insulator is slightlyconstricted by the hole 12 so that it is held in position by itsinherent elasticity while the bottom section 22 which is on the opositeside of the panel from the flange 18 tries to hold its natural shapeand, therefore, appears as shown in FIGURE 4 as having a slight outwardflare.

The next step in the assembly is to insert the electrically conductiveelement 26 through the insulator bushing 16 so that it is positionedlongitudinally in the bushing with one end extending through and closelyfitting in the polygonal opening 24, as shown in FIGURE 5. Further, theelement has its lobes held securely by the round corners of thepolygonal opening 24.

To firmly and finally secure the terminal plural socket assembly inposition, the extending end 28 of the electrical @onductor 26 is flaredoutwardly by a flaring tool or staking device (not shown) so that thedeformation of the element distends the bottom section 22 of theinsulator outwardly against its inherent elasticity to create an evengreater flare in the outside of the insulator as shown in FIGURE 6, andthereby to securely hold the assembly in position in the hole of thepanel 14. It is believed that the large section or quantity of elasticinsulator material that isin the bottom section 22 of the insulatorcreates an effect very similar to that of the flange 18 on the oppositeend of the insulator to lock the assembly in position. If desired, afterflaring of the extended end 28 of the element 26, it may be rolled overto form a flanged end 28A, as shown in FIGURE 6, to further lock theelectrical conductor in position in the assembly.

It is, of -course,intended that the invention contemplates the use ofany of the known elastic insulating materials as Well as any of theknown metals that are normally used in the electric terminal field.

Further, although the invention is illustrated with the insulator in aninterference fit, the invention would work equally well if the insulatorwere just placed by hand in a reasonably loose fit within the hole 12 ofthe panel 14. The important feature is that the flaring of theconductive element'26 at its end 28 against the elastic insulatormaterial is the real locking force necessary to hold the assembly'inposition wherein the elastic insulator has a larger or heaviercross-section than the adjacent wall portion that is within the boundsof the hole of the panel.

It should also be understood that within the concept of this inventionthe electrical conductor could be preassembled into the insulator in aninterference fit after which, when the assembly is placed in the hole inthe panel, the electrical conductor end 28 is then flared to distend theheavier bottom section 22 of the elastic insulator outwardly to therebylock the assembly in position. Alternatively, the invention contemplatesthe preassembly of the electrical conductor snugly within the insulatorwherein the outsidedimension of the bottom section 22 of theinsulator'has a dimension which is slightly greater than that of thehole 12 in the panel 14 so that when the whole assembly 10 is forcefitted into the hole, the assembly is held by the constriction that thesmall diameter hole 12 has on the center and weaker portion of theinsulator so that the re u t nt insta d assemb y would have aconfiguration, in this alternative construction, which is similar tothat shown in FIGURE 6 while being arrived at by a different method ofinstallation.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes there has beenillustrated and described herein a specific form of the inventionnowknown, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may bemade in the form of the product or the method of making it disclosedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention covered by the claimsand that certain features of the invention may some times be used toadvantage without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a housing panel, a baseboard panel, or the likeof a predetermined thickness and having a hole therethrough, anelectrical terminal plural socket assembly mounted in said hole formaking soldered connections to the ends of one or more lead wires thatare inserted into said assembly, said assembly comprising an outerinsulating bushing mounted in said hole and having a flange on one endfrom which there inwardly extends a cylindrical inner wall to a bottomsection, said wall defining an axial opening, said bottom section havinga polygonal opening therein of a major dimension that is less than thediameter of said cylindrical axial opening, said bushing being of alength greater than said predetermined thickness to position said bottomsection on a side of said panel opposite from that of said flange, atubular electrically conducting element flanged at one end andlongitudinally formed to give the bore of said tubular element acloverleaf configuration as viewed in an axial direction wit-h as manylobes as sides of said polygonal opening in said insulating bus-hing,said tubular element having an outer surface generally conforming tothat of said polygonal opening and positioned longitudinally in saidinsulating bushing with the end opposite said flange flared to distendsaid tubular element and said bushing at said polygonal opening toprovide a bushing outside diameter greater than the hole in said paneland retain the assembly in position.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 in which both ends of said tubularelement extend to a greater'diameter than said cylindrical axial openingin said insulator bushing. i

3. Anassembly according to claim 1 in which said bushing has an outerdiameter that is slightly greater than said hole in said panel toallowan interference fit therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,698,42312/1954 MO-drey et'al. 339-214 2,816,950 12/1957 Kruss et al 174-1532,948,773 8/1960 Hawes 74153 3,042,961 7 7/1962 Tieri -83 X 3,193,6177/1965 Deakin 174-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 669,041 3/ 1952 Great Britain.832,014 '4/1960 Great Britain.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A HOUSING PANEL, A BASEBOARD PANEL, OR THE LIKE OF A PREDETERMINED THICKNESS AND HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH, AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL PLURAL SOCKET ASSEMBLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOLE FOR MAKING SOLDERED CONNECTIONS TO THE ENDS OF ONE OR MORE LEAD WIRES THAT ARE INSERTED INTO SAID ASSEMBLY, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN OUTER INSULATING BUSHING MOUNTED IN SAID HOLE AND HAVING A FLANGE ON ONE END FROM WHICH THERE INWARDLY EXTENDS A CYLINDRICAL INNER WALL TO A BOTTOM SECTION, SAID WALL DEFINING AN AXIAL OPENING, SAID BOTTOM SECTION HAVING A POLYGONAL OPENING THEREIN OF A MAJOR DIMENSION THAT IS LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL AXIAL OPENING, SAID BUSHING BEING OF A LENGTH GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED THICKNESS TO POSITION SAID BOTTOM SECTION ON A SIDE OF SAID PANEL OPPOSITE FROM THAT OF SAID FLANGE, A TUBULAR ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING ELEMENT FLANGED AT ONE END AND LONGITUDINALLY FORMED TO GIVE THE BORE OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT A CLOVERLEAF CONFIGURATION AS VIEWED IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION WITH AS MANY LOBES AS SIDES OF SAID POLYGONAL OPENING IN SAID INSULATING BUSHING, SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE GENERALLY COMFORMING TO THAT OF SAID POLYGONAL OPENING AND POSITIONED LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID INSULATING BUSHING WITH THE END OPPOSITE SAID FLANGE FLARED TO DISTEND SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT AND SAID BUSHING AT SAID POLYGONAL OPENING TO PROVIDE A BUSHING OUTSIDE DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE HOLE IN SAID PANEL AND RETAIN THE ASSEMBLY IN POSITION. 